Chapter 490 - 457: Stabbed in the Back (Part 1)

Chapter 490: Chapter 457: Stabbed in the Back (Part 1)

Knowing that the daughter went to meet Mr. Liang today, Song Erlang and his wife closed the stall early.

When Song Jiao and her sister entered the house, they saw their parents were home, Song Jiao was surprised, "Dad, Mom, why did you come back so early today?"

Second Lang’s wife was washing clothes by the well, and upon hearing this, she pointed to a round stool nearby and asked Song Jiao to sit down. Then she wiped her wet hands on her apron, leaned over, and asked with a smile, "Jiaojiao, did you see Mr. Liang?"

"I saw him." Song Jiao nodded.

"How is he as a person?"

Before Song Jiao could speak, Song Qi interjected, "Oh mom, you’re asking too much, aren’t you? Big sister just met Mr. Liang once, how could she judge his character and conduct, right, sister?"

Song Jiao looked up and saw Song Qi winking at her, with an expression of pure innocence and harmlessness.

Reining in her gaze, Song Jiao slightly tugged at the corner of her mouth and said to her mother, "Mr. Liang is a newly advanced scholar and quite knowledgeable. Talking to him, you can learn a lot."

Second Lang’s wife didn’t understand the ways of scholars but detected a sense of interest from her daughter’s words, and she smiled so much that lines appeared on her face, "So that means you two get along quite well?"

Song Jiao didn’t speak, which was taken as a tacit agreement.

Second Lang’s wife grew even more joyful, "I’ve inquired about it. This Mr. Liang whom your third uncle introduced, although his family background is not as prestigious as your third uncle’s, he is an ambitious person. Your third uncle is a favorite of the Emperor. If you and Mr. Liang truly come to be, you’ll have your third uncle’s support. I’m sure it won’t take a few years to rise up. Good days are ahead!"

Those who truly understand business have a vision far beyond that of ordinary people.

Having gone through that earth-shattering earthquake years ago and come to the Capital to earn a living with her hands, both Second Lang’s wife’s mindset and vision have undoubtedly improved.

In those years she was greedy for petty profits, but now she has learned to aim high.

Song Qi was eating sunflower seeds on the side, and upon hearing this, she suddenly looked at Song Jiao, "Doesn’t big sister have someone she likes? Mr. Liang already confessed that he had considered someone before you. Did you tell him this? If you didn’t, and once you get married and he finds out, it will be terrible for you."

Song Jiao’s face soured instantly upon hearing this, glaring at Song Qi, "What nonsense are you talking?"

Second Lang’s wife was confused, "What liked person are you talking about?"

Seeing Song Qi turn her back, Second Lang’s wife stood up, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back, "Explain clearly, what’s this about a liked person?"

With the wedding with Mr. Liang almost at hand, how would it end if the man found out about an unexpected liked person?

Song Qi threw away the sunflower seed shells and met her mother’s glaring eyes, "It’s not something I made up, big sister admitted it herself in front of me and third aunt at third uncle’s house."

After speaking, she let out a faint laugh at Song Jiao, "Right, sister? I didn’t misjudge you by a word."

That laughter held not a trace of goodwill.

Second Lang’s wife couldn’t help but look at her eldest daughter, seeing her face pale, lips tightly pressed together, and upon closer inspection, those hands seemed to tremble.

Thinking that her daughter was about to marry, Second Lang’s wife didn’t scold her, she gently asked, "Jiaojiao, tell me, what happened? Is what Qi Qi said true? Do you have someone you like? Who is it?"

Song Jiao didn’t speak, her eyes began to redden.

Second Lang’s wife didn’t dare to press further, turned her head and frowned at Song Qi, "Putting aside whether your sister likes someone, even if she does, she’s already engaged now. How can you, as her younger sister, use this against her?"

"I’m doing this for her own good!" Song Qi did not feel she was in the wrong, "Mr. Liang told her everything, yet she hid something. If the Liang Family finds out in the future, will sister have a good life?"

Second Lang’s wife got angry, "If you didn’t speak out, who would know?"

"Mom, if you put it that way, it’s very unreasonable. I’m not the only one who knows about this. Once the news leaks out and reaches Mr. Liang’s ears and he doesn’t want sister anymore, would you then pin all the blame on me?"

Second Lang’s wife was about to argue further but was interrupted by Song Jiao’s voice, "Do you mean third aunt would harm me?"

"Who knows? Anyway, I’ve said it; I’m doing this for your good, it’s you who fails to see kindness."

Song Jiao suppressed the aching feeling in her eyes.

She thought that with the previous lesson at third uncle’s house, Song Qi would learn restraint and turn over a new leaf.

She thought that no matter how bad Song Qi’s temper was, she would at least remember that they were siblings born to the same mother.

She thought, if she were a little more kind and generous, her sister would eventually sense it or even be moved.

But it turns out, it was all just what she thought.

Just now, she heard Song Qi’s words; there wasn’t a single vulgar word, yet they seemed like sharp knives, stabbing her heart so she couldn’t breathe.

Song Jiao had no doubt, if they were on the street just now, or in front of Mr. Liang, Song Qi, when pushed to her limit, would still reveal the secret without any qualms.

For the first time in her life, she realized that relatives could be so cruel, and that relatives can stab you in the back when you’re unprepared.

Song Jiao was not Song Qi, she cared about family, so no matter how aggrieved or heartbroken she was, she couldn’t tear apart in front of her mother and sister. She tried her best to repress her emotions to appear calm, with a voice indicating restraint, "Mom, I want to move back to third uncle’s house, Would you agree?"

The third uncle’s house is spacious and quiet, and undoubtedly preferable to this narrow alley courtyard house. Second Lang’s wife was more than willing, but "Would your third uncle agree?"

Song Jiao said, "As long as you nod, I will go and ask third aunt tomorrow."

"Okay." Second Lang’s wife knew her daughter was wronged, pulled over her hand, and patted it soothingly, "If your third uncle and third aunt agree, you just go and stay there to prepare for marriage peacefully, and we’ll make some more money to add to your dowry."

Then words made Song Jiao want to cry.

Having experienced life and death during the disaster, her parents understood gratitude and knew they should settle down and live honestly from now on, but why can’t Song Qi do the same? She was more acutely aware than anyone of what it’s like to step foot in the ghost’s corner.

...

Song Jiao, in a bad mood, didn’t have dinner and went straight to her room to sleep.

The yard is small, so speaking even a bit loud can be heard in every room.

To avoid disturbing Song Jiao, Second Lang’s wife grabbed Song Qi’s wrist and took her outside the courtyard.

Night wind was chilly, mother and daughter stood face to face on the street, Song Qi hunched from the cold, shook loose from her mother’s grip while vigorously rubbing her stiff hands.

"Er Ya!" Second Lang’s wife was infuriated by her daughter’s action.

Song Qi gritted her teeth, "I’ve said it many times, don’t call me Er Ya, I have a name, given by third uncle, Song Qi, Song Qi!"

Second Lang’s wife didn’t care what she was called, "Why did you say those things today?"

"How many times do I need to explain? I’m doing it for sister’s good." Song Qi’s tone was impatient, "Does mom believe my future brother-in-law Mr. Liang can become a high-ranking official, so you always take sister’s side protecting her, whatever she does is right, whatever I say is wrong? Then tell me, how is sister going to hide such a big thing like having someone she likes?"

This kind of reasoning is simply ridiculous, Second Lang’s wife questioned her, "From what you’re saying, if you have someone you like, then you can’t marry for life, is that it?"

"I didn’t say that." Song Qi mumbled in a small voice.

Raising such a disrespectful daughter weighed heavily on Second Lang’s wife, "Your sister has always treated you well, why do you always have to target her? This matter is only known by you sisters and your third aunt. If your third aunt doesn’t say anything and you keep your mouth shut, where could Mr. Liang find out?"

Seeing her remain silent, Second Lang’s wife continued, "You’re sisters, if you’re good to her, could she stab you in the back? Why make things so awkward? What good does it do you?"

Song Qi suddenly sneered, "Sisters? Is she worth it? That day at third uncle’s house, mom saw it with your own eyes; she pressed me in the water tank trying to kill me. Were it not that fate spared me, I’d be a wandering ghost now. I treat her as a sister, but did she ever treat me as one?"

Second Lang’s wife said, "She was impulsive that time, but it was also to make you see clearly. You just arrived and targeted your third aunt everywhere; she stayed at your third aunt’s place for over a year. Can she not be angry hearing your barbed words?"

These words ignited Song Qi’s anger, "Who was I targeting third aunt for in the first place? Didn’t you see; she arrived and treated third aunt better than her biological mother? I only said those words to fight for justice for dad and mom, now you find faults with me all the time, if you really don’t like me, why did you bring me to this world?"

"Slap——"

Her answer was a loud slap from Second Lang’s wife.